[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 195 (Friday, October 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69873-69874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24246]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Data Portability

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: Many modern service providers give people access to their own 
data in machine readable format to download and use as they see fit. 
Proponents of increased data portability point to numerous, significant 
benefits for users, service providers, and the broader public. For 
users, perhaps the most important benefits are the ability to create 
backups of their most important data, like photographs, tax returns, 
and other financial information while reducing the danger of becoming 
locked-in to a single service provider, especially in a world where 
service providers may change business models or discontinue products.

[[Page 69874]]

    Consumers may also benefit from increased competition. If consumers 
cannot switch easily between platforms, then it may be difficult for 
would-be services to enter the market, potentially resulting in less 
innovation or higher prices. Increasing data portability may induce 
businesses to compete with one another to offer better prices and 
higher quality services so as to win or retain a customer's business. 
Service providers, meanwhile, can benefit from offering data 
portability to increase user trust through the transparency and ease of 
switching data portability provides, and to help manage the termination 
of services. Finally, the public benefits when data portability 
increases competition, provides some sense of accountability, and 
promotes transparency as to what information a provider is holding.
    Others may point to potential private and public downsides. With 
lower switching costs, businesses might adjust their business models 
and become more selective in their initial customer acquisition 
strategy or invest less in their customer relationships, which might 
leave some sets of customers worse off than before. Some privacy and 
security advocates also worry that the strength of data portability--
easier sharing of information--could encourage more information 
sharing, including when it might be inadvisable from a privacy 
perspective or when a criminal successfully breaks into an unsecured 
service.
    The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is interested in 
understanding the benefits and drawbacks of increased data portability 
as well as potential policy avenues to achieve greater data 
portability. The views of the American people, including stakeholders 
such as consumers, academic and industry researchers, and private 
companies, are important to inform an understanding of these questions.

DATES: Responses must be received by November 23, 2016 to be 
considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit responses by any of the following methods 
(online is preferred):
     Online: You may submit via the web form at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/webform/request-information-regarding-data-portability.
     Email: [email protected]. Include [Data Portability] in 
the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Data Portability RFI, c/o Alexander Macgillivray, 
Eisenhower Executive Office Building (Office 437), 1650 Pennsylvania 
Ave NW., Washington, DC 20502. If submitting a response by mail, please 
allow sufficient time for mail processing.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responses 
exceeding 5,000 words will not be considered. Respondents need not 
comment on all topics; however, they should clearly indicate the number 
of each topic to which they are responding (please see Supplementary 
Information for list of topics). Brevity is appreciated. Responses to 
this RFI may be posted without change online. OSTP therefore requests 
that no business proprietary information or personally identifiable 
information be submitted in response to this RFI. Please note that the 
U.S. Government will not pay for response preparation, or for the use 
of any information contained in the response.
    Disclaimer: Responses to this RFI will not be returned. The Office 
of Science and Technology Policy is under no obligation to acknowledge 
receipt of the information received, or to provide feedback to 
respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Macgillivray (202) 494-0085.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSTP is particularly interested in responses 
related to the following topics: (1) The potential benefits and 
drawbacks of increased data portability; (2) the industries or types of 
data that would most benefit or be harmed by increased data 
portability; (3) the specific steps the Federal Government, private 
companies, associations, or others might take to encourage or require 
greater data portability (and the important benefits or drawbacks of 
each approach); (4) best practices in implementing data portability; 
and (5) any additional information related to data portability policy 
making, not requested above, that you believe OSTP should consider with 
respect to data portability.

Ted Wackler,
Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-24246 Filed 10-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3270-F6-P